Dance gliding device



Get. 23, 1951 SHAW 2,572,671

DANCE GLIDING DEVICE Filed March 21, 1949 1 N V EN TOR.

EE/QETZY R SHAW,

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE f limes GLIDING DEVICE Everett iit'. 7 Shaw, Tempe, Ariz. ApplicationM a'rch 1949, Serial No. 82,550

1 My invention relates to dancing shoes and has for its general object the provision of devices whereby glides or sliding movements over reat distances may be carried out on dancing floors. .The invention may be incorporated in specially designed dance shoes, but is hereinafter described, by way of example, in the form of attachments for shoes of ordinary construction.

It is an object of my invention to provide means whereby gliding or sliding movements of the wearer over extended distances may be achieved under full control of the dancer and enabling him to execute ordinary steps and extended glides or slides with as muchfacility as when executing ordinary dance steps when wearing ordinary shoes.

Yet other objects of my invention are vide footwear for dancing by which novel gliding steps may be executed whichfootwear may be produced as shoes incorporating novel features, or in the form of attachments available in various forms, which may be readily secured to a shoe and removed therefrom withoutrequiring any modification of the conventional shoe, and which attachments are both light and inexpensive. I

Still further objects and features of my invention will hereinafter appear from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which are illustrated em-:

bodiments of the invention at present deemed preferable by me, but it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the illustrated embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as intended to be defined by the appended claims.

, In the accompanying drawings: a

Fig. l is a perspective view of the gliding element of my invention formed as a separate fitting and including shank and heel portions formed as an integral unit.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the gliding fitting of Fig. l mounted on a shoe andiin use for a gliding dance step.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 2 but showing how the fitting is carried, in ordinary dance steps, out of contact with the floor.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showinga modifled form of the fitting formed from a block of hard resin or other suitable material and adapted to be secured under the shank only of a shoe.

- Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the device of Fig. 4 in use in a gliding dance step.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of another modified form of my invention.

to pro-- 5 .Claim's. (cr es-a3) Fig. 7 is aside elevation showing the modified form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 6 in position on a shoe and in use for a gliding dance step.. v 1

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of face I2 with a rearward extension or plate l3 covering the heel M of the shoe and extending forwardly over the shank I6 of the shoe tothe back of the sole l8 of the shoe which underlies theball or metatarsal region of the wearers foot. It will be noted that the level of the fioor engaging surface is slightly below the level of the lower surface of the sole, the front end 20 being curved upwardly to meet the rear edge of the sole. Since it is necessary to provide a snug fit of the device on the shoe, I form or mold the body to accurately follow the contour, in plan, of the heel and shank of a shoe, aswell as to follow the curves of the bottom portions of the shoe, this feature requiring the provision of left and right fittings for left and right shoes. It will be noted that an upstanding wall 22 is provided to fit snugly against the forward vertical face of the heel of the shoe and that the upper surface of the body [0 is curved, as indicated at 24, to lie against the underside of the shank. Since the lower face of a shoe shank is often transversely curved a transverse inward curve is formed in the upper surface of the fitting engaging below the instep, the transverse curve flattening out toward the rear. I provide means for securely but detachably holding the fitting in position on the wearers' shoe and while such holding means may be of any suitable arrangement, it'has been found that a pair of ties, such as strong ribbons 28, 30 passed through holes 32 passing from side through the body and tied over the back of the shoe and over the shank will serve the purpose well. u

In use in a gliding step with one or both feet along the floor as shown in Fig. 2 it will be noted that the sole of the shoe is held slightly off the floor although the weight of the danceris'carried on his shank and heel which is a natural posture not fatiguing to the dancer, while theglide may be arrested at any time by the dancer merely leaning forward slightly to bring the sole of the shoe into contact with the floor. While doing ordinary dance steps,.which for the most part are carried outwith the dancers weight on the ball of his foot and toes, the heel is slightly raised, as shown in Fig. 3, which brings the device out of contact with the floor, and the dancer is thus enabled to mingle novel gliding steps of both feet with ordinary dance steps.

The modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be formed from a block of hard resin and differs only from that shown in Fig. 1 in that the heel plate I3 is omitted, the body Illa being otherwise formed as previously described and similarly attached to a shoe as shown in- Fig. 5, by laces 28a, 36a passing through holes 32a in the body. The gliding action will not be quite as; ood in this form of the invent-ion because of the greater pressure on the body caused by the weight being carried on a smaller area.

In the further modification of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7 I provide additionat posi tioning means to the laces 28b, 30b to hold the heel plate [3b securely on the heel M of a shoe. The additional positioning means may be formed as a peripheral flange 34 projecting upwardly from the heel plate [3b, which flange fits closely around the bottom edge of the heel M of the shoe as indicated in Fig, 7. The other features 6f the form of the invention shown in 'Fig. '6 are the same as described with reference to Fig. 1;.

In this form ofthe invention the heel-plate will. of: course be made sufficiently" larger than the heel of the shoe to; provide the extra width required for the flange 34.

'In- Fig; *8" longitudinal parallel. grooves 36 are shown cut into the floor engaging face of the gliding fitting shown in Fig. 6, though of course I. may provide such parallel grooves if desired in the-otherformsof' the invention illustrated. The grooves 36 act to. give a slightly better and straighter gliding motion thanwhen the face of. the fitting is completely fiat.

*It will be noted that when using the sliding attachment of my invention no extra strain is thrown on the dancers feet since the area of flat. surface in contact with the 'fioor is ample at all" times and, therefore, does not call for any extra balancing efiort. The weight of the device is negligible so that. the ease of movement. 'of' the dancer is. not impaired, nor is his confidence, since the sliding effect can be checked. with. at.

any time by merely bringing the sole of 'thefoot.

down upon the floor. The use of my gliding attachment while dancing enables the dancer to widely increase the.

variety of steps and evolutions at his command and thus increases the interest and enjoyment derived from. this pastime.

The gliding, attachment of my invention may be made of metal such as aluminum, brass, mag.- nesium or alloys. thereof or. of, plastic. of suitable. characteristics with the floor engaging surface preferably waxed to reduce friction between it and the waxed dance. floor. The low frictional surface may also be provided by a block of, hard resin inserted. in. a metal frame having. one or other of the forms. above described, and various other obvious modifications will be apparent. to. those skilled in the. art.

What I claim is:

1. A, gliding attachment for shoes. usedv for. dancing, comprising; a body adapted to fit, under the shank of the shoe, an upper surface, on said body having a contour. conforming to. the con-v tour. of" the shank of the shoe, and. a floor en.- ga'ging flat surface. projecting slightly below the selectthe' shoe; a rearwardIy-projecting plate.

4 like extension of said body extending over the heel of the shoe, said extension having a flat floor engaging surface in the same plane as the floor engaging of the body; an upstanding flange projecting from the perimeter of said plate like portion and abutting the sides and back of the heel of the shoe; and readily releasable means for securing the. attachment in. position. on the shoe.

2. A gliding device for shoes used for dancing, comprising: a body having a smooth floor-engaging surface of low frictional characteristics positioned under the shank of the shoe and extending to a. level slightly below the level of the heel and sole of the shoe; and means securing said-body in position on the shoe, whereby gliding movements of extended length may be execute'd'while the sole of. the shoe is out of contact with the floor, and usual dance steps may be executed with the sole of the shoe rest-. ing on the floor with the device raised out of" contact with the fioor, and longitudinally extending-grooves in said fioorengaging surface.

3". A gliding element for shoes used for dance i-ng, comprising a body having a smooth floor contacting flat surface of low frictional charac-- teristics extending under the shank of the shoe and completely over the bottom face of the heel portion of the shoe, said body terminating at its forward end substantially at the rear end of the fore-sole portion of the shoe, the shankand: heel portions of said body providing a sliding sun face extending slightly below the level of the tread area of the fore-sole portion of the shoe and terminating substantially at the rear endthereof'. 1

4. A gliding attachment for shoes used for low the fore-sole portion of the shoe, the bodyhaving a rearwardly projecting plate-like -ex-.- tension extending substantially completely overthe heel portion of the shoe, said extension having a fiat floor engaging surface in the same plane as the floor engaging surface of said body, and means for readily connecting and disconnecting the attachment and the shoe.

5. A gliding attachment for shoes of the construction defined in claim 4 and inwhich the floor engaging fiat surface of the body is curved at its forward end upwardly to the forward end of the upper surface of 'sai'dbodyto allowfor smooth transition in lowering the heel to bring the 'attachment into play;

" EVERETT R. SHAW.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record inthe. file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

